Good news/annoying news at 33-week appointment
 

I had an ultrasound along with my 33-week appointment on Monday. At 22
weeks I'd been diagnosed with marginal placenta previa, and unfortunately
the midwife who told me the news had been quite scary when explaining the
problem and also left out how common it is at that stage, and how often it
goes away later. Anyway, the most recent ultrasound showed that I no longer
have any sort of previa, yay! But on the heals of that news came the
diagnosis of borderline polyhydramnios, i.e., too much amniotic fluid.
According to the dr., I had the "lowest high score" (24 cm) for fluid that
is diagnosed as polyhydramnios.

I know that too much amniotic fluid can indicate a bunch of problems, but it
seems highly unlikely the baby or I have any of them. (In fact, my official
diagnosis is "ideopathic polyhydramnios," because they can't find a likely
cause.) For instance, GD was ruled out because I passed my glucose tolerance
test with flying colors a few weeks ago. I've had 3 previous ultrasounds
checking for fetal abnormalities, and the baby has never scanned as anything
other than completely average in its weight, growth, etc. After the initial
ultrasound, my doctor sent me for a nonstress test, where the technician
pronounced the baby's readings as a textbook healthy.

At least this time the doctor didn't freak me out with doomsday
pronouncements on this issue -- he said that under the circumstances, my Sea
Monkey is probably absolutely fine and we'll have a normal, safe delivery.
He figures that I'm just one of those people who doesn't quite conform to
the statistical norm for fluid. The annoying thing is that the hospital
still wants me to come back every single week for scans and nonstress tests
to monitor the situation. Also, I'm annoyed because I may have accidentally
caused the whole idiotic situation to begin with, as I'd been feeling sick
to my stomach the day before and was a little dehydrated from that, and
worried that they might erroneously diagnose *too little* fluid because of
that. So about 60 minutes before the scan I drank 16 oz. water, and then
about 30 minutes before, I had another 16 ounces. I was kind of floating
when they did the scan! I explained this to the doctor afterwards and he
said that while being dehydrated can cause too little amniotic fluid, that
drinking too much "wasn't seen as a cause" for too much amniotic fluid!

I'm hopeful that when I go back next week my fluid score/amount will be in
normal range, and I can force them to stop having me do all these tests.
Has anyone else had experience with this issue?

Thanks, Erin
33 weeks, 4 days

Good news/annoying news at 33-week appointment
 

Hi Erin,

I had my 4th pregnancy this year and was also diagnosed as borderline
polyhydramnios. All the tests checked out OK. DD was born on 20th
Aug and is perfect and I had no problems either in pregnancy or at
delivery.( other than "midwife distress" but that's another story!!)
If no cause has been found in your case I'm sure you too will be fine.

All the best,

Diane & Lyra (3w2d)
"Erin" wrote in message
k.net...
I had an ultrasound along with my 33-week appointment on Monday. At
22
weeks I'd been diagnosed with marginal placenta previa, and
unfortunately
the midwife who told me the news had been quite scary when
explaining the
problem and also left out how common it is at that stage, and how
often it
goes away later. Anyway, the most recent ultrasound showed that I
no longer
have any sort of previa, yay! But on the heals of that news came
the
diagnosis of borderline polyhydramnios, i.e., too much amniotic
fluid.
According to the dr., I had the "lowest high score" (24 cm) for
fluid that
is diagnosed as polyhydramnios.

I know that too much amniotic fluid can indicate a bunch of
problems, but it
seems highly unlikely the baby or I have any of them. (In fact, my
official
diagnosis is "ideopathic polyhydramnios," because they can't find a
likely
cause.) For instance, GD was ruled out because I passed my glucose
tolerance
test with flying colors a few weeks ago. I've had 3 previous
ultrasounds
checking for fetal abnormalities, and the baby has never scanned as
anything
other than completely average in its weight, growth, etc. After the
initial
ultrasound, my doctor sent me for a nonstress test, where the
technician
pronounced the baby's readings as a textbook healthy.

At least this time the doctor didn't freak me out with doomsday
pronouncements on this issue -- he said that under the
circumstances, my Sea
Monkey is probably absolutely fine and we'll have a normal, safe
delivery.
He figures that I'm just one of those people who doesn't quite
conform to
the statistical norm for fluid. The annoying thing is that the
hospital
still wants me to come back every single week for scans and
nonstress tests
to monitor the situation. Also, I'm annoyed because I may have
accidentally
caused the whole idiotic situation to begin with, as I'd been
feeling sick
to my stomach the day before and was a little dehydrated from that,
and
worried that they might erroneously diagnose *too little* fluid
because of
that. So about 60 minutes before the scan I drank 16 oz. water, and
then
about 30 minutes before, I had another 16 ounces. I was kind of
floating
when they did the scan! I explained this to the doctor afterwards
and he
said that while being dehydrated can cause too little amniotic
fluid, that
drinking too much "wasn't seen as a cause" for too much amniotic
fluid!

I'm hopeful that when I go back next week my fluid score/amount will
be in
normal range, and I can force them to stop having me do all these
tests.
Has anyone else had experience with this issue?

Thanks, Erin
33 weeks, 4 days




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Good news/annoying news at 33-week appointment
 

I had polyhydramnios with my first pregnancy.

I did some research on the net and scared myself a little. I was induced
at 9 days past the due date. The baby never engaged and the OB suggested
it might have been because she was floating in the excessive fluid. The
midwife was anxious about cord prolapse but it did not happen. The
induction failed, (I don't think she was ready to be born yet) and I
ended up with a c/s. But my daughter is a healthy, happy and bright 4
year old with no problems. I did not have polyhydramnios with my second
pregnancy. I think it is usually only diagnosed after 30 weeks.

If you are borderline I would not worry.

Larissa

Erin wrote:
I had an ultrasound along with my 33-week appointment on Monday. At 22
weeks I'd been diagnosed with marginal placenta previa, and unfortunately
the midwife who told me the news had been quite scary when explaining the
problem and also left out how common it is at that stage, and how often it
goes away later. Anyway, the most recent ultrasound showed that I no longer
have any sort of previa, yay! But on the heals of that news came the
diagnosis of borderline polyhydramnios, i.e., too much amniotic fluid.
According to the dr., I had the "lowest high score" (24 cm) for fluid that
is diagnosed as polyhydramnios.

I know that too much amniotic fluid can indicate a bunch of problems, but it
seems highly unlikely the baby or I have any of them. (In fact, my official
diagnosis is "ideopathic polyhydramnios," because they can't find a likely
cause.) For instance, GD was ruled out because I passed my glucose tolerance
test with flying colors a few weeks ago. I've had 3 previous ultrasounds
checking for fetal abnormalities, and the baby has never scanned as anything
other than completely average in its weight, growth, etc. After the initial
ultrasound, my doctor sent me for a nonstress test, where the technician
pronounced the baby's readings as a textbook healthy.

At least this time the doctor didn't freak me out with doomsday
pronouncements on this issue -- he said that under the circumstances, my Sea
Monkey is probably absolutely fine and we'll have a normal, safe delivery.
He figures that I'm just one of those people who doesn't quite conform to
the statistical norm for fluid. The annoying thing is that the hospital
still wants me to come back every single week for scans and nonstress tests
to monitor the situation. Also, I'm annoyed because I may have accidentally
caused the whole idiotic situation to begin with, as I'd been feeling sick
to my stomach the day before and was a little dehydrated from that, and
worried that they might erroneously diagnose *too little* fluid because of
that. So about 60 minutes before the scan I drank 16 oz. water, and then
about 30 minutes before, I had another 16 ounces. I was kind of floating
when they did the scan! I explained this to the doctor afterwards and he
said that while being dehydrated can cause too little amniotic fluid, that
drinking too much "wasn't seen as a cause" for too much amniotic fluid!

I'm hopeful that when I go back next week my fluid score/amount will be in
normal range, and I can force them to stop having me do all these tests.
Has anyone else had experience with this issue?

Thanks, Erin
33 weeks, 4 days